West Indies Set Zimbabwe A Testing Target Of 246

Shivnarine Chanderpaul stroked a half-century as the West Indies made their way to 245 for nine against Zimbabwe in the third One-Day International in Saint Vincent.

That represents a good score at the Arnos Vale ground in Kingstown, where the average score in a first innings is 210, and it owed much to Chanderpaul's efforts in setting the innings up for a late charge.

He faced 76 balls for his 58 runs before he was run out one ball after a 65-run partnership between the left-hander and Denesh Ramdin had been broken when Ramdin chipped Timycen Maruma to Prosper Utseya for 19.

After Utseya invited the West Indies to bat, Chris Gayle (33) and Adrian Barath (35) made a steady start to the innings, although Gayle in steady mode still managed to smack three fours and a six.

Utseya dismissed both but after the Chanderpaul-Ramdin partnership had been broken, some lusty hitting from Narsingh Deonarine (21), Dwayne Bravo (24), Kieron Pollard (17 in 11 balls) and Ravi Rampaul (14 in four balls) put the West Indies into a strong position.

Darren Sammy was unbeaten on seven as the West Indies added 92 runs in the final nine overs of their innings.

Elton Chigumbura's tidy opening spell went wicketless but he returned to pick up two for 43 by dismissing Bravo and Nikita Miller (0) while Utseya returned two for 47.

The five-match series is level at 1-1 and Bravo is playing in his 100th ODI.